Changing perspectives among pre-health undergraduates through a brief weight bias pedagogical intervention

Abstract

Background: Weight stigma and bias are present in education, employment, and health care institutions, and have increased in recent years. College students in pre-health majors have been documented to hold weight biases, and interventions to mitigate these beliefs have had varying results. Objectives: This study’s purpose was to assess the impact of a pedagogical intervention regarding weight stigma outcomes among first-year students. Method: Three instructors of lower-division health and social science courses implemented a 3-module lecture series on weight stigma, the environmental sources of weight variability, and body appreciation. Participants ( N = 81; 48 from intervention (INT) classrooms, 33 from comparison [COM] classrooms) completed an end-of-semester survey regarding their anti-fat biases, fat phobia, and body appreciation, and a subset ( n = 13) participated in a semi-structured interview about their experiences. Results: Results revealed no outcome differences between the treatment versus comparison groups, although self-reported body mass index (BMI) was a significant covariate ( p = .008). A significant correlation emerged between BMI and fear of fat scores for COM ( r = .52, p < .01) but not for INT students ( r = .28, p > .05), suggesting the intervention may have impacted how students form their anti-fat biases in relation to their BMI. Qualitative findings yielded five themes – connected course material with personal experiences; learned about weight stigma; shifted perspective on weight stigma; recognised application of weight stigma; material to future career; and valued learning about weight stigma – that provided insight into how the intervention positively affected students. Conclusion: Informed by the findings from this study, future interventions should take a more immersive pedagogical approach.

Body image of university students: a systematic review of the characteristics of interventions

“…Regarding the study populations, 14 studies exclusively focused on female participants, while in the remaining studies, participants included both females and males. It is important to highlight that in only one study, the number of male participants exceeded that of females (e.g., Moore et al, 2011 ), and only one study utilized self-declared gender identity among the participants (e.g., Bolter et al, 2023 ).…”

“…The interventions conducted by Kosma et al ( 2024 ) and by Bolter et al ( 2023 ), both from the United States, illustrate a notable trend in integrating interventions into the academic semester as part of university classes. Kosma et al ( 2024 ) implemented a physical theater intervention with a small group of eight participants, incorporating the intervention into the semester’s coursework.…”

“…Kosma et al ( 2024 ) implemented a physical theater intervention with a small group of eight participants, incorporating the intervention into the semester’s coursework. Similarly, Bolter et al ( 2023 ) conducted a brief weight bias pedagogical intervention with a diverse group of 81 participants, including women, men, transgender men, transgender women, and gender nonconforming individuals. This intervention was also embedded within the academic semester.…”

“…It is worth noting that a significant portion of studies, approximately 28.6%, included samples with both women and men, emphasizing the importance of understanding body image relationships in both groups (Bassett-Gunter However, it is important to emphasize that the considerations require a critical analysis of the inherent limitations of studies on body image, particularly in terms of the omission of considerations of inclusion and intersectionality. Only one study focused on understanding how participants feel, identify, and present themselves, both to themselves and to those around them, using selfdeclared gender identity (for example, Bolter et al, 2023). In a recent study, Landor et al (2024) advanced the structuring and conceptualization of the sociostructural-intersectional model of body image, with the aim of more fully understanding the body image experiences of those with racialized and marginalized bodies.…”

“…The study by Kosma et al (2024) examined the effects of a semester-long physical theater class, concluding that participants emphasized the importance of physical theater in improving body posture, confidence, and expression, highlighting the need for integrated movement programs. Bolter et al (2023) evaluated the impact of a brief pedagogical intervention to address weight stigma among first-year university students, highlighting the importance of these interventions. Although the quantitative results were not significant, the qualitative data suggested that brief interventions integrated into existing courses could engage students.…”